After the first week of play in their 2011-2012 campaign, the Minnesota Wild sit with a 2-3 record and a slate of three games for the week ahead, including two on the road. Their only two wins thus far have came at home, at the X-Cel Energy Center, and are starting the week by finishing off a three-game homestand, which they're 1-1 on after beating the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 13 and dropping a game in overtime to the Detroit Red Wings in their last outing, on Oct 15.
Their homestand will wrap-up on Oct 18, a Tuesday, when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to town. After jumping out to a fast start with a 2-0 record and winning three of their first four, they've dropped their last two games. As another sign of instability, three of their five games have ended in overtime or in a shootout, a stat the Wild share with them. If you're into prop bets, you might be able to throw something down in that vein. The game is set for 6:30 p.m. central time and will be on the Versus network.
The Wild will then hit the road, on Oct. 20, they'll take on the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton has lost two of their three games, one of them in a shootout, and beat the Penguins in a shootout as well to start their season. Before taking on the Wild, they've got games on Monday and Tuesday, against the Predators and Flames, so they could have either a winning or losing record by the time they host Minnesota, as the beginning of their four-game homestand. That game is set for 8:30 p.m. central time and can be found on the usual Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Wisconsin.
They'll wrap-up their week with a game on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks on the NHL Network at 4:00 p.m. central. Vancouver has won two of their five games, and will have games against the Rangers and Predators before taking on Minnesota. Look for the Canucks to slowly, but surely, get better and pick up some wins, as has been their custom for some time now. Whether that begins when they take on the Wild is anyone's guess.
If you are not near a television and would like to listen to the game on the radio, you can find your closest Wild Radio Network affiliate right here.